Corylus plant named &#39;FELIX&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Corylus  plant named ‘Felix’ characterized by an upright plant habit and high vigor, green developing and fully expanded leaves during the spring and summer, resistance to eastern filbert blight caused by the fungus  Anisogramma anomala  (Peck) E. Müller, presence of random amplified polymorphic DNA markers 152-800 and AA12-850, expression of incompatibility alleles S 15  and S 21  in the styles, and DNA fingerprints at 14 of 24 microsatellite marker loci differ from both parents OSU 384.095 and ‘Delta’, and from one parent at an additional 6 marker loci.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

This invention was made with government support under SpecificCooperative Agreement No. 58-5358-4542 awarded by the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture. The government has certain rights in theinvention.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Corylus avellana

VARIETY DESIGNATION

‘Felix’

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Corylusplant, (hazelnut, filbert) botanically known as Corylus avellana, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Felix’. Corylus avellana is in thefamily Betulaceae.

The new Corylus resulted from a controlled cross of female parent OSU384.095 (unpatented) and male parent ‘Delta’ (unpatented) made in 1998by Shawn A. Mehlenbacher and David C. Smith. Hybrid seeds from the crosswere harvested in August 1998, stratified, and seedlings grown in thegreenhouse during the summer of 1999. From this cross, total of 157seedling trees were planted in the field in Corvallis, Oreg., USA inOctober, 1999. ‘Felix’ was discovered and selected by the Inventors as asingle plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Corvallis, Oreg. ‘Felix’ was originallyassigned the designation OSU 941.016, which indicates the row and treelocation of the original seedling. ‘Delta’ (unpatented) was released bythe Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station in 2002. OSU 384.095(unpatented) is from a cross of ‘Casina’×OSU 55.129 (both unpatented).OSU 55.129 is from a cross of ‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe’(unpatented)×‘Extra Ghiaghli’ (unpatented). The pedigree of ‘Felix’includes ‘Casina’ from Asturias, Spain, ‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe’from Piemonte, northern Italy, and ‘Extra Ghiaghli’, which is a clone ofthe important Turkish cultivar ‘Tombul’ (unpatented).

The new cultivar was asexually reproduced by rooted suckers annually forfive years (2005-2006 and 2008-2010) in Corvallis, Oreg. The newcultivar was also asexually propagated by whip grafting in Corvallis,Oreg. The unique features of this new Corylus are stable and reproducedtrue-to-type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Felix’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Felix’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright plant habit and high vigor.

2. Green developing and fully expanded leaves during the spring andsummer.

3. Resistance to eastern filbert blight caused by the fungus Anisogrammaanomala (Peck) E. Müller.

4. Presence of random amplified polymorphic DNA markers 152-800 andAA12-850 in DNA of ‘Felix’ amplified by the polymerase chain reaction.These two markers are linked to a dominant allele for resistance toeastern filbert blight from the cultivar Gasaway (unpatented).

5. Expression of incompatibility alleles S₁₅ and S₂₁ in the styles.

6. DNA fingerprints at 14 of 24 microsatellite marker loci differ fromboth parents OSU 384.095 and ‘Delta’, and from one parent at anadditional 6 marker loci. DNA fingerprints of standard cultivars‘Barcelona’, ‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe’ and ‘Extra Ghiaghli’, and‘Gasaway’, the source of eastern filbert blight resistance, are alsoshown in the attached table.

In comparisons in two replicated trials conducted in Corvallis, Oreg.,plants of the new Corylus differed from plants of the Corylus avellanacultivar Barcelona (unpatented), and other cultivars and selections ofCorylus avellana known to the Inventors primarily in nut size, nutshape, kernel percentage (ratio of kernel weight to nut weight),frequency of blank nuts (nuts lacking kernels), time of pollen shed,time of nut maturity, length of the husk or involucre, and plant size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Foliage colorsin the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited inthe detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colorsof the new Corylus.

FIG. 1 shows a tree of the new cultivar ‘Felix’ growing in a field inthe summer, in Corvallis, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows the tree of the new cultivar ‘Felix’ growing in a field inJanuary, in Corvallis, Oreg.

FIG. 3 shows typical nuts, raw kernels, and blanched kernels of ‘Felix’hazelnut compared to those of ‘Jefferson’ hazelnut.

FIG. 4 shows the husks of ‘Felix’ hazelnut.

FIG. 5 shows the typical nuts, raw kernels, and blanched kernels of‘Felix’ hazelnut compared to those of ‘Barcelona’ hazelnut and otherhazelnut cultivars.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Felix has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Corvallis, Oreg. under commercial practice outdoors in thefield during the fall, winter and spring. Plants used for thephotographs and description were propagated by tie-off layerage andgrowing on their own roots, and about five years old. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 1966 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Corylus avellana cultivar Felix.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Corylus avellana selection OSU            384.095 (unpatented).        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Corylus avellana cultivar ‘Delta’            (unpatented).-   Propagation (type rooted suckers):    -   -   Time to initiate roots.—about 30 days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—about six months at            22° C.        -   Root description.—fine to thick; freely branching; creamy            white in color.-   Propagation (type whip grafting):    -   -   Time to budbreak on the scions.—about 14 days at 25° C.        -   Time to produce a grafted plant.—about six months at 25° C.-   Plant description:    -   -   Type.—perennial shrub. Upright plant habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—freely branching; about 15            lateral branches develop per plant. Pinching, i.e., removal            of the terminal apices, enhances branching with lateral            branches potentially forming at every node.        -   Size.—Plant height is about 6 meters; plant diameter or            spread is about 5 meters.        -   Vigor.—vigorous growth.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—about 43 cm.        -   Diameter.—about 6 mm.        -   Internode length.—about 2.8 cm.        -   Texture.—smooth, glabrous.        -   Strength.—strong.        -   Color.—immature — 152B; mature.—152B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—alterriate, simple.        -   Length.—about 10.6 cm.        -   Width.—about 10.1 cm.        -   Shape.—oblong to ovate.        -   Apex.—obtuse to acute.        -   Base.—cordate.        -   Margin.—serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—slightly pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface 144A, lower            surfaces: 145A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            Spring and summer, 143A; late summer and fall, 143A. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: Spring and summer, 139C;            late summer and fall, 139C. Venation, upper surface: Spring            and summer, 139C; late summer and fall, 139C. Venation,            lower surface: Spring and summer, 139D; late summer and            fall, 139D.-   Petiole description:    -   -   Length.—about 2.7 cm.        -   Diameter.—about 1.8 mm.        -   Texture.—upper and lower surfaces.—pubescent.        -   Color.—upper surface: Spring and summer, 139D; late summer            and fall, 139D. lower surface: Spring and summer, 139D; late            summer and fall, 139D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Male inflorescences.—catkins, color prior to elongation            194C.        -   Female inflorescence.—style color 047B.-   Nut description:    -   -   Length.—about 18.7 mm.        -   Width.—about 18.9 mm.        -   Depth.—about 16.7 mm.        -   Nut shape.—round.        -   Nut shape index [(Width+Depth)/2*Length].—0.95.        -   Nut compression index (Width/Depth).—1.13.        -   Nut shell color.—167A.        -   Nut weight.—about 2.65 grams.        -   Kernel weight.—about 1.32 grams.        -   Kernel percentage (kernel weight/nut weight).—about 50%.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Corylus are highly    resistant to eastern filbert blight caused by the fungus Anisogramma    anomala (Peck) E. Müller. Plants of the new Corylus are moderately    resistant to bud mites (Phytoptus avellanae Nal.), while plants of    ‘Tonda Gentile delle Langhe’ are highly susceptible, and plants of    ‘Barcelona’ are highly resistant.-   Temperature tolerance: tolerates temperatures from −10 to 38° C. in    the field in Corvallis, Oreg.

TABLE 1Primers and annealing temperatures for the 24 microsatellite marker loci used to  fingerprint ‘Felix’ and other hazelnut cultivars. Repeat Locus motifSize T_(a) n He Ho PIC r LG Primers 5′-3′ Primers 5′-3′ Reference A613(TC)₁₃ 149- 60 14 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.00 11 Ned- R- Gurcan et al. (CA)₁₂177 CACACGCCTT CCCCTTTCACAT 2010 GTCACTCTTT GTTTGCTT (SEQ ID NO: 1)(SEQ ID NO: 2) A614 (TC)₁₇ 125- 60 14 0.85 0.85 0.84 0.00 6 Hex- R-Gurcan et al. (CA)₁₀ 156 TGGCAGAGCT GCAGTGGAGGA 2010 NNN(CA)₆ TTGTCAGCTTTTGCTGACT (SEQ ID NO: 3) (SEQ ID NO: 4) A616 (AC)₁₁ 136- 60 13 0.85 0.850.83 0.00 8 Fam- R- Gurcan et al. 162 CACTCATACC ATGGCTTTTGCT 2010GCAAACTCCA TCGTTTTG (SEQ ID NO: 5) (SEQ ID NO: 6) A640 (CT)₁₅ 354- 67 110.80 0.73 0.7 0.04 10 F- Fam- Gurcan et al. (CA)₁₃ 378 TGCCTCTGCACGCCATATAATT 2010 GTTAGTCATC GGGATGCTTGTT AAATGTAGG G (SEQ ID NO: 7)(SEQ ID NO: 8) B107 (CT)₁₄ 112- 55 14 0.85 0.80 0.83 0.02 10 Ned- R-Boccacci et al. 151 GTAGGTGCAC AACACCATATTG 2005; TTGATGTGCTTAGTCTTTCAAAG Gokirmak et al. TAC C 2009 (SEQ ID NO: 9) (SEQ ID NO: 10)B617 (GA)₁₅ 280- 60  9 0.80 0.78 0.78 0.01 8 Fam- R- Gurcan et al. 298TCCGTGTTGA TGTTTTTGGTGG 2010 GTATGGACGA AGCGATG (SEQ ID NO: 11)(SEQ ID NO: 12) B619 (TC)₂₁ 146- 60 14 0.88 0.88 0.7 0.00 3 Fam- R-Gurcan et al. 180 AGTCGGCTCC GCGATCTGACCT 2010 CCTTTTCTC CATTTTTG(SEQ ID NO: 13) (SEQ ID NO: 14) B634 (AG)₁₅ 218- 60  9 0.76 0.76 0.730.00 4 Hex- R- Gurcan et al. 238 CCTGCATCCA GTGCAGAGGTTG 2010 GGACTCATTACACTCAAA 60 (SEQ ID NO: 16) (SEQ ID NO: 15) B657 (AG)₁₅ 210- 60  8 0.840.98 0.82 −0.08 11 Ned- R- Gurcan et al. 228 GAGAGTGCGT AGCCTCACCTCC2010 CTTCCTCTGG AACGAAC (SEQ ID NO: 17) (SEQ ID NO: 18) B671 (AG)6NN221- 60 13 0.86 0.88 0.84 −0.01 9 Hex- R- Gurcan et al. (GA)₁₇ 249TTGCCAGTGC ACCAGCTCTGGG 2010 ATACTCTGAT CTTAACAC G (SEQ ID NO: 20)(SEQ ID NO: 19) B709 (GA)₂₁ 219- 60  8 0.74 0.76 0.70 −0.01 5 Ned- R-Gurcan et al. 233 CCAAGCACGA GCGGGTTCTCGT 2010 ATGAACTCAA TGTACACT(SEQ ID NO: 21) (SEQ ID NO: 22) B733 (TC)₁₅ 161- 60  8 0.68 0.68 0.630.00 7.2 Ned- R- Gurcan et al. 183 CACCCTCTTCA CATCCCCTGTTG 2010CCACCTCAT GAGTTTTC (SEQ ID NO: 23) (SEQ ID NO: 24) B741 (GT)₅ 176- 60 100.77 0.78 0.74 0.00 5 Fam- R- Gurcan et al. (GA)₁₂ 194 GTTCACAGGCCGTGTTGCTCAT 2010 TGTTGGGTTT GTGTTGTG (SEQ ID NO: 25) (SEQ ID NO: 26)B749 (TC)₁₂ 200- 60  6 0.60 0.64 0.51 −0.03 1 Hex- R- Gurcan et al. 210GGCTGACAAC TCGGCTAGGGTT 2010 ACAGCAGAAA AGGGTTTT (SEQ ID NO: 27)(SEQ ID NO: 28 B751 (GA)₁₅ 141- 60  7 0.80 0.80 0.77 0.01 7.2 Fam- R-Gurcan e al. 153 AGCTGGTTCTT AAACTCAAATA 2010 CGACATTCC AAACCCCTGCTC(SEQ ID NO: 29) (SEQ ID NO: 30) B774 (AG)₁₅ 195- 60  8 0.80 0.80 0.770.01 5 Ned- R- Gurcan et al. 213 GTTTTGCGAG TGTGTGTGGTCT 2010 CTCATTGTCAGTAGGCACT (SEQ ID NO: 31) (SEQ ID NO: 32) B776 (GA)₁₇ 134- 60  7 0.710.60 0.67 0.07 6 Fam- R- Gurcan et al. 148 TGTATGTACA TGAGGGGAAGA 2010CACGGAGAGA GGTTTGATG GAGA (SEQ ID NO: 34) (SEQ ID NO: 33) B795 (TC)₈296- 60 12 0.76 0.74 0.74 0.01 NA Fam- R- Gurcan et al. Ns(CT)₇ 332GACCCACAAA TGGGCATCATCC 2010 Ns(CT)₁₀ CAATAACCTA AGGTCTA Ns(TC)₅ TCTC(SEQ ID NO: 36) (SEQ ID NO: 35) C115 (TAA)₅ 167- 60 14 0.80 0.80 0.770.00 4 Fam- GTTTCCAGATCT Bassil et al. (GAA)₁₂ 226 ATTTTCCGCAGCCTCCATATAA 2005b, GATAATACAG T Gokirmak et al. G (SEQ ID NO: 38) 2009(SEQ ID NO: 37) KG809 (AGG)₆ 333- 55  5 0.66 0.64 0.60 0.01 4 Hex- F-Gurcan and 345 AGGCATCAGT GGAAGGTGAGA Mehlenbacher TCATCCAA GAAATCAAGT2010 (SEQ ID NO: 39) (SEQ ID NO: 40) KG811 (GA)₁₇ 240- 58 12 0.83 0.820.81 0.01 2 Ned- F- Gurcan and 278 AAGGCGGCAC GAACAACTGAA MehlenbacherTCGCTCAC GACAGCAAAG 2010 (SEQ ID NO: 41) (SEQ ID NO: 42) KG827 (CT)₁₃AA264- 67  9 0.78 0.84 0.75 −0.04 9 Fam- GAGGGAGCAAG Gurcan and (CA)₇ 282AGAACTCCGA TCAAAGTTGAGA Mehlenbacher CTAATAATCC AGAAA 2010 TAACCCTTGC(SEQ ID NO: 44) (SEQ ID NO: 43) KG830 (CT)₁₄ 279- 67  9 0.79 0.78 0.760.00 9 Ned- AAAGCAACTCAT Gurcan and GTATT 311 TGGAGGAAGT AGCTGAAGTCCAMehlenbacher (CA)₈ TTTGAATGGT ATCA 2010 AGTAGAGGA (SEQ ID NO: 46)(SEQ ID NO: 45) Soman-G (AAT)₅   54  3 0.60 0.98 0.51 −0.27 NA Hex- R-unpublished TGGCGTTGCA GCCATCTTTAGA ACATATTCTC AAGTTCGATACA(SEQ ID NO: 47) G (SEQ ID NO: 48) Primer fluorescent tags are FAM, HEX,and NED. Ta: annealing temperature (° C.) N: number of alleles He:expected heterozygosity Ho: observed heterozygosity PIC: polymorphisminformation content r: estimated null allele frequency LG: linkage group

TABLE 2 Allele sizes in ‘Felix’and other hazelnut cultivars at 24 microsatellite loci. ‘Tonda Gentile‘Extra Tag Locus ‘Felix’ ‘384.095’ ‘Delta’ delle Langhe‘ ‘Barcelona’Ghiaghli’ ‘Gasaway’ NED A613 149/151 151/169 149/177 151/157 151/159167/169 159/161 HEX A614 139/143 135/139 143/158 125/135 125/131 125/150143/158 FAM A616 150/150 150/150 150/150 148/150 142/150 150/158 148/148FAM A640 368/372 368/372 362/372 354/368 354/374 374/374 362/368 NEDB107 130/152 130/152 122/130 134/152 112/134 116/116 122/128 FAM B617286/286 286/286 286/286 286/296 286/290 294/296 292/296 FAM B619 156/164148/164 156/164 148/164 156/170 164/174 170/174 HEX B634 226/234 226/226226/234 226/226 226/226 226/226 220/232 NED B657 218/226 218/222 222/226218/226 218/222 210/222 224/228 HEX B671 227/235 227/247 235/247 237/241223/227 227/247 235/247 NED B709 227/231 225/231 227/227 227/227 225/233225/227 227/227 NED B733 173/179 171/173 173/179 171/173 171/173 171/171173/173 FAM B741 177/186 177/186 177/186 177/184 177/186 177/184 186/188HEX B749 206/206 206/208 206/208 206/208 208/208 208/208 206/208 FAMB751 151/153 143/153 143/151 149/153 143/153 143/147 143/143 NED B774203/213 203/203 207/213 203/211 203/207 195/203 203/209 FAM B776 148/150137/148 137/150 137/137 135/137 135/137 146/150 FAM B795 330/330 310/330314/330 312/330 330/330 296/310 314/316 FAM C115 197/215 173/197 197/215173/173 173/194 182/194 215/218 HEX KG809 336/345 336/336 345/345336/339 336/336 336/339 336/345 NED KG811 248/264 242/248 254/264254/264 258/264 240/242 254/258 FAM KG827 270/282 276/282 270/270266/268 280/282 276/282 270/280 NED KG830 291/303 289/303 291/297291/295 291/295 291/295 291/305 HEX SMNG 196/200 196/200 196/196 196/200196/200 196/200 196/196

REFERENCES:

Bassil N. V., Botta R., Mehlenbacher S. A. 2005a. Microsatellite markersin hazelnut: Isolation, characterization and cross-speciesamplification. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 130:543-549.

Bassil N. V., Botta R., Mehlenbacher S. A. 2005b. Additionalmicrosatellite markers of the European hazelnut. Acta Hort. 686:105-110.

Boccacci P., Akkak A., Bassil N. V., Mehlenbacher S. A., Botta R. 2005.Characterization and evaluation of microsatellite loci in Europeanhazelnut (C. avellana) and their transferability to other Corylusspecies. Molec. Ecol. Notes 5:934-937.

Boccacci P., Akkak, A. and Botta, R. 2006. DNA typing and geneticrelations among European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivars usingmicrosatellite markers. Genome 49:598-611.

Gokirmak T., Mehlenbacher S. A., Bassil N. V. 2009. Characterization ofEuropean hazelnut (Corylus avellana) cultivars using SSR markers.Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution 56:147-172.

Gürcan, K., S. A. Mehlenbacher and V. Erdogan. 2010a. Genetic diversityin hazelnut cultivars from Black Sea countries assessed using SSRmarkers. Plant Breeding (available on-linedoi:10.1111/j.1439-0523.2009.01753.x).

Gürcan, K., S. A. Mehlenbacher, N. V. Bassil, P. Boccacci, A. Akkak andR. Botta. 2010b. New microsatellite markers for Corylus avellana fromenriched libraries. Tree Genetics and Genomes (available on-line as DOI10.1007/s11295-010-0269-y).

Gürcan, K. and S. A. Mehlenbacher. 2010. Development of microsatellitemarker loci for European hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) from ISSRfragments. Molecular Breeding (available on-line).

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Corylus plant named ‘Felix’,as illustrated and described.